A Broken Beauty
by Ash M. Knight
Summary: Regina finds herself caring for Belle after her relationship falls to pieces. BeautyQueen.
1. Chapter 1: A Broken Beauty

"I'll have the. . . the. . ." Belle stared down at the menu for only a short moment, then her head popped back up, cheeks blushing. "Just a cheeseburger, Ruby. Thanks."

Regina, passing by, paused next to the table and looked at Belle as Ruby walked away with the menu. It struck her as odd that Belle ordered the same thing all the time. It seemed like she was actually struggling to read. The mayor blinked down at the girl, suddenly unsure of how to say what she was thinking.

"Looks like you might need glasses," she said, as calmly as possible.

"Oh, God, I. . ." Belle blushed brighter, gawking up at the mayor with embarrassment. "Yeah, I've. . . I lost mine. . ."

"You don't have to lie to me," Regina said, startled. "I can always tell when people are lying to me."

"Look, I just don't have health insurance, alright? My eyes are bad and my contacts don't work as well anymore. I need a new prescription, and I don't have health insurance."

Regina burst out laughing and sat down at the table. Such a mundane and simple problem. Was this how the rest of the town lived their lives? Without?

"I'm the mayor, my dear. Anything you need will be yours, if only you ask it of me."

"I would never. . ."

"Never what? Never ask anything of me? Why not? Am I that unapproachable?" She knew the answer was yes and immediately regretted asking the question. But was that how Belle saw her? Unapproachable? Evil, even, like everyone else thought? "Nevermind. Look, it's just sad to see you eat the same thing over and -"

She was cut off by Ruby serving a steaming cheeseburger with a side of pickles and a coke. They both faked a smile, obviously feeling awkward, until Ruby spoke.

"Uh. . . did you. . . are you having anything today, Mayor?" Ruby asked politely, choking down her hatred and trying not to get herself fired. She didn't want to see her dear friend anywhere near the dark one, let alone the evil queen, but somehow she'd managed to befriend them both.

"Yes, actually. I'll have the chicken salad with a side of apple pie, if you don't mind."

"That'll be right out," Ruby answered curtly, turning and hurrying away into the kitchen.

Regina turned back to Belle. "Try the salad, okay? And the pie. Everything at Granny's is good. I promise. Try something new."

"It's really okay. I like cheeseburgers," Belle mumbled.

"In all seriousness, Belle. Can I take you to an optometrist? It's really no imposition. I wear contacts, but you'd look really cute in glasses, and then maybe you'd be able to try out the rest of Granny's menu without feeling embarrassed. You love books so much. . . It must be terrible having such trouble reading."

"It's been a while since I've read a book, yes. . ."

"Please let me help," Regina implored.

A few days later, the two sat in Regina's car, Belle holding a new pair of glasses. "I should have gotten contacts. These look silly."

"They don't," Regina countered. "Put them on."

She did.

"You look beautiful. I like the bookish type."

They both went silent.

"Regina, I'm. . . Rumple. . . He. . ."

"He's never going to be able to love you without letting you down. He's darker than I am. His heart could never truly love another."

"You're wrong," Belle protested. "His heart is pure, deep down. He just has a. . . a layer of blackness around it. . . He's built a shell around it to survive, to keep himself from getting hurt. But it's all coming down now. He's changing."

"I'm changing, too," Regina whispered. "How can he really be what you want? Don't you want someone who can truly sacrifice and care for you? It's been days since I've used magic. Even Henry said he's proud of me."

"And I'm sure he is, Regina. Henry loves you. But you're just not him."

"I understand." They pulled into the driveway and Regina got out of the car. Her hand, shaking a little bit from embarrassment, opened the passenger door to let Belle out.

"Thank you, Regina. Really. I appreciate everything you've done for me."

"Why didn't you just tell Rumplestiltskin you needed new contacts? He would have taken care of you."

"I didn't want to trouble him. He never asked. . . He never noticed."

"Oh."

"Thank you," Belle repeated.

Regina left in silence, pulling out of the driveway with stinging heat washing over her face.

"Regina?" a voice sobbed on the other end of the telephone. The rest of the words were a jumbled mess of noises she couldn't understand.

"I'll come get you," the mayor responded and immediately hung up the phone.

When she pulled into the driveway, she flashed her lights to let the girl know she was there. It took Belle a long time to emerge from the shop, but when she did, Regina could tell she was distressed. Her face was red and her eyes were swollen from crying.

"You don't have to tell me what happened unless you want to."

They drove in silence after the agreement, until they reached the mayor's house. They both got out of the car and went inside, sitting on the couch of Regina's enormous living room. The house was too big for two people, but Regina liked it that way. It reminded her of her loneliness and why she was alone in the first place.

"It's okay," Regina whispered. "It's going to be okay."

To her surprise, the girl collapsed in her arms, still sobbing.

"It was awful," she wailed.

Awkwardly, Regina just placed her hand on the girl's back, unsure of what to do next. She felt the tingle of Belle's soft hair under her fingertips and shuddered, her muscled immediately tensing in protest to the sudden crashing wave of emotion and sensation she felt. Belle melted into her, her chest against Regina's, the girl's arms hanging about her neck.

"I'm so sorry," Regina said, genuinely meaning the words. For some reason, this girl's suffering actually hurt her. She. . . empathized. She truly felt for the first time in years. The first time since. . .

She could feel her heart bleeding from the inside.

"I'm so sorry he hurt you."

"I m-must have d-deserved it," Belle stuttered.

"No, sweetie. No. You couldn't possibly. You didn't do anything wrong. It's him. It's him who hurt you."

Belle went silent, her chest heaving from the stifled sobs. Her fingertips brushed Regina's neck and made the women's skin tingle straight down to her toes. It hurt. It actually hurt to feel, and Regina was repulsed by it, but she didn't pull away. She fought the urge to move away and dared to press two hands against Belle's back. As innocently and platonically as she could, she pressed her lips to the girl's forehead, whispering, "It's going to be alright."

After five days of constant conversation, tears, and even some laughter, Belle awoke in Regina's guest bedroom. She awoke alone.

"Regina?" she called. The silence in the house was stark and loud, and it almost scared her. Something felt wrong.

She got up, buttoned her nightshirt - she'd left it open while she slept - and searched the house. It felt odd to be there alone, awkwardly pacing the halls of someone else's house. She barely knew Regina. Then again, they'd grown close over the past week. Close enough that Belle felt a pang of disappointment that she didn't see the woman that morning.

She showered and got dressed, did her makeup, and brushed her teeth meticulously, annoyed by how uncomfortable the huge empty house made her feel. She was out of place. She sat nervously on the couch, not daring to eat breakfast on her own. It felt wrong to invite herself to Regina's food, even though she'd spent nearly a week living in the house. Twenty minutes later, Regina hurried through the door, holding a gigantic bouquet of pink roses.

"Good grief!" Belle exclaimed. "I felt so strange here on my own. I feel like I'm imposing on you. Who're the flowers for?" She forced a small smile, still feeling rather uncomfortable.

"Why, they're for you, dear. Of course. Who else?"

Belle was speechless.

"You are more than welcome in my house. This can be your home for as long as you need it. What's mine is yours."

Belle blushed and took the flowers, smelling them. She was unable to hold back the smile tugging at her lips. Rumple had never given her flowers before. In a rush of emotion, she stepped close to Regina, their bodies nearly touching, and held the roses to the side. She leaned in, touching their lips together.

"Thank you," she breathed against the softness of her lips. "Thank you."

Regina gasped, unable to swallow the noise that betrayed her emotions. She felt a wave of panic shudder through her like an electric bolt of lightning, like a storm of feeling too wild to subdue.

"I think I might love you, Belle."


	2. Chapter 2: Coming Undone

"Good morning," Belle chirped, strolling into the bedroom with a look of interested surprise on her face. "What are you doing in Henry's room?"

Regina shot up off the bed, throwing the headphones onto the floor. The plastic clattered onto the wood and left the room silent, except for Regina's scream.

"JESUS! Where did you even come from? I thought you were downstairs!"

"Gosh, Regina. I'm sorry. . ." Belle gasped, staring in disbelief. Her eyes flickered in the mayor's direction, unsure of what to do. Had she walked in on something private?

"No, no," Regina breathed, pushing a shaky hand through her own dark hair. "I'm sorry. You just scared me to death. I was just. . . I was just listening to music. I guess it was a little too loud and I didn't hear you come in."

They both laughed nervously, a little put off by each others' reactions.

"So why are you in Henry's room?" Belle repeated, stepping a little closer.

Regina shrugged and gestured towards the floor where the headphones and the iPod had dropped. The screen was cracked from the fall.

"Oh, shit," the mayor cursed, kneeling down to pick it up. "Henry's going to be upset when he gets home. He loves this thing."

"Apparently you do too?" Belle laughed, kneeling down and picking up the headphones as the other women picked up the iPod. They nearly knocked heads standing up, but just barely missed each other. Regina was thrown a little off balance from being so close to her while standing, so she took one stumbling step backwards and ended up awkwardly catching herself on the bed and fumbling back to her feet. Belle was still laughing as she reached out and took Regina's hand. "Be careful."

"Normally," Regina started sadly, "I'd just use magic to fix this. . ."

"Just get him a new one, Regina. You're not exactly poor." They shared a mutual sigh, but Belle still held her hand. "It's okay. You're doing great. I know you can do this. You can do it for Henry."

Regina nodded glumly and set the cracked iPod back down on the bed.

"What if I can't do this?"

"You can."

"What if I can't?"

"You can."

"Stop saying that! How do you even know? You don't know me. You don't know the things I've done."

"Everyone knows what you've done, Regina," Belle retorted, finally with a small amount of bitterness. "Everyone can _see _what you've done. Nothing you do is a secret because you've never cared who you hurt. But that's not who you are and it's not how you have to be. I feel like I've gotten to know the _real_ you."

"Who is the real me, then? Who is she?"

"She's Regina Mills. She's strong and smart and maybe even a little bit funny."

"I'm not funny," she said, but she was laughing.

"I think you are." Belle let her hand drop to the woman's waist and left it there. "You're always making me smile. And it's been a long, long time since I've smiled. I'd started believing smiles were only in my storybooks before I met you."

"Your smile is very real," Regina breathed, staring into her eyes. She felt her fingertips tingle as she lifted her own hand from her side and placed it on Belle's waist.

"Are you sure?" Belle teased. "Maybe I'm a figment of your imagination."

"Stop it, you!" Regina laughed, lifting the girl up into her arms and spinning around. "You stop teasing me. You are too good to be true. If it's a dream, don't wake me up."

"I won't," Belle promised, running her hands through her new lover's hair. She stopped and looked at Regina. "What were you doing in Henry's room, though?" she asked again.

"I was just listening to his music." She confessed, "I just miss him so much, you know? It reminds me of him."

Belle nodded in partially understanding. She'd never had a child, so she couldn't truly know what it was like to be without her only son, but she guessed it was immensely painful.

"I'm so sorry, Regina. I can only imagine how much this hurts you."

"Have you ever had a child?" Regina asked nervously, unsure if the question was appropriate.

Belle looked startled, her posture tensing, but she recovered quickly. "No, I haven't. What made you think that I had?"

"Oh, I. . . No, I didn't, I just. . . I was just wondering. I'm sorry. That was rude of me to pry. I didn't mean to offend you. It was an impulsive question. I shouldn't have asked." She looked embarrassed, almost ashamed. "I'm sorry."

"No, Regina, really. It's okay." But Belle looked awkward, as if she was surprised by the question, unsure of how to react or respond. She wrung her hands nervously. "I'd love to have a child, though. I've always wanted to be a mother. I want to teach by child how to read, to share the wonder of books, of stories. I've always wanted someone to love that way. Someone to take care of."

It explained a lot - the way she cared for the beast who had disregarded and discarded her so. Regina understood how disappointed she must have been to have lost such a companion. It hurt her to feel empathy, but she understood. It felt good to care of Henry. It was a blessing to know that someone cared for her and needed her, too. Thinking of this, she pushed a hand through her own hair and sighed.

"I miss him so much. I just don't know how to live without him. I'd gotten so used to having him around, to loving him, to caring for him. This house had started to feel so empty, until you got here. At least now I'm starting - I mean, it's starting - to feel full again."

Belle looked startled again by her words. She couldn't think of anything to say.

"It just feels like you belong here, like it's strange to think of lacking your presence."

"I. . . Thank you," Belle replied, blushing. "I'm starting to feel like I belong here, too. I felt so out of place with Rumple, like I didn't belong. Like he didn't know what to do with me there. Like he couldn't be himself around me."

"Sometimes I feel that way," Regina admitted. "Like I have to be someone better than I am, around you. I don't want to disappoint you, or Henry. But it's so hard. Magic is the only thing I've ever known. It's been the only thing that's ever gotten me what I wanted. Well, gotten me my way. I suppose I've never had what I wanted, except for Henry. And I don't even have his love anymore. He's disgusted with me."

"He's not!" Belle exclaimed. "Henry loves you, with his whole heart. He believes in you. And I believe in you too." She clasped Regina's hands and gazed into her eyes. "When I look at you, I see a woman longing for change, longing to be better than what she's allowed herself to be. I know the real you just wants to be loved, and to love in return. You fall back on magic because you feel empty inside, and you feel like you can't fill the void any other way, because no one has ever loved you for who you are, without the magic. Except Henry. And me."

"Y-You?" the woman stuttered.

"Yes, me. I believe in you, and I feel love in my heart when I think of you. Something about you fills me like no one and nothing else ever has."

Regina was speechless, suddenly staring at the wall, lost in the moment of shock and confusion. "How is that possible? How can you see such good in me? It's not there, Belle. I think you just want it to be."

"I _know _it's there. I see it in your eyes every time I look at you, and that longing you feel is a beautiful thing. It's what makes you human."

"I'm a monster. Do you know how many people I've killed? How many lives I've destroyed?"

"But how many regrets do you have? Be honest with yourself, even if you can't be honest with me, yet. It pains you to think of your past because you're disappointed in yourself. You want to be better, you just don't have faith that you can truly be this person you so long to."

"You're wrong. I'm a horrible person, and I can't change. Every time I try, I fail. I fail and fail. Henry is better off with Emma. At least the savior," - she spat the word - "can care for him with goodness I'll never have. And he's proud of her. He looks up to her, and he sees in her the hero I could never be."

"You can be Regina. Look at me." She reached up and turned Regina's face back to face her. "I believe in you. Even if you don't."

Belle pressed her lips against the other woman's - slowly at first, but then with more eagerness. She entangled her finger's into Regina's hair and pulled, just slightly, until they were both breathing heavily and pressing their bodies into each other.

"Belle," Regina gasped between hot, burning kisses, "God help me, I do love you."


	3. Chapter 3: No More

"I'm not saying I don't love him," Belle sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I just don't think there's any way we could ever be together."

Regina felt the stinging pangs of pain in her stomach, and her hand unconsciously moved to cover it. Her breath was locked in her chest. _Still?_ she thought. _Is she ever going to get over him? _Regina wasn't sure. All she could do was hope. (She certainly wasn't going to pray). But what could she say? This girl she'd grown so fond of was talking about still being in love with her ex. There wasn't anything she really _could _say.

"I don't think I'm _in _love with him," Belle announced, seemingly out of nowhere. "I guess that's what I thought it was before, but maybe. . . I'm not sure. Maybe I just wanted it to be true love. Maybe I just love him as a person and that let me see the good in him. But now. . . Now I don't know what to do."

"You don't have to know what to do," Regina told her. She reached out to touch the girl's hand, feeling the softness of her skin under her own fingertips. "Just know that I'm here for you, and. . . and I. . ." Regina trailed off and stared down at her own lap. In her chest, her black heart was racing with confusion, feeling as though its shell may crack open at any unexpected moment.

"You what?"

"I care for you," she confessed. "And if going back to him is what will make you truly happy, I -"

"No!" Belle exclaimed, jumping up off the couch. "Jesus, no. Regina, please understand. I don't want to go back to him. I just care about him, and what happened still hurts. What he did to me still hurts." There was a pause before Belle continued to speak, a silence that pained Regina as she waited for the next words. "He's not the one I want."

Regina's fingers twitched nervously as she gripped the armrest of the couch.

"Please believe me," Belle begged desperately, sitting back down on the couch beside her new lover.

"Prove it," Regina replied stubbornly, staring coldly into the girl's eyes. "Prove to me that I'm the one you want."

"How?" Belle looked frightened, surprised by the rigidness in the woman's voice. "Just tell me what I have to do to show you how much I care."

"Just kiss me," Regina sighed, almost sadly. "Please kiss me."

Shyly, Belle moved closer to her on the couch and slid her arm's around Regina's neck. "This is what I want," she breathed against the woman's lips.

Hungrily, Regina kissed her harder. Belle's kiss was still shy and unsure, but the more persistent Regina was, the harder she kissed back, regaining her confidence. Belle moved onto her lap and pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together. "I want you," she whispered.

Regina lowered her onto the couch, climbing on top of her and sliding her hands up her shirt. "I want you, too." She pressed her hips into Belle's, and the girl moaned in response, eagerly grinding her hips against the mayor's. Soon, Belle's shirt was off, and Regina was working her way behind Belle's back to undue her bra. Belle was whimpering quietly, shaking like she was scared.

"It's okay," Regina whispered. "It's okay."

It was Belle's first time with a woman, so she was nervous and unsure. "I've never done this before," she said, her voice shaking. "I don't know what to do."

"I'll show you, darling."

Regina, suddenly playing the intoxicating role of teacher, took Belle's hands and moved them up her blouse.

"Undue the buttons," she instructed. "Touch me here." She pressed the girl's hands against her breasts and sighed, dropping her head back. They both moaned softly, pulling each other closer.

Belle obeyed, her shaking hands undoing each button carefully, trying not to make a fool of herself. She slid the blouse off the woman's shoulders slowly, savoring the way it felt to touch her skin. She dropped the garment to the floor and moved her hands to Regina's waist. At first, she was hesitant to move her touch upward, but she fought the fear and reached behind the woman's back to undue her bra. Again, her movements were slow and deliberate; the fear kept her passion at bay.

"Don't be scared," Regina encouraged.

"But what if I do it wrong?"

"You won't."

Belle touched her breasts - gently, at first, but then with more eagerness, making Regina moan. Regina had imagined that their first time would have been in bed, but the couch seemed to be working fine, too. In fact, she was surprised that it was happening at all. For some reason, she had the feeling that the bottom would drop out at any moment, that Belle would back out and return to her former lover. But here they were, and it was as real as she was.

"I've wanted this a really long time," Regina told her.

"Me, too."

Regina moved Belle's hands down to the waist of her pants, pressing her fingers gently against the zipper. Again, Belle obeyed and started to slide the clothing down her thighs. Regina wiggled out of the pants and turned back to Belle. This time, it was her turn. She lifted Belle's shirt up over her head and tossed it to the floor. Her bra and her pants were next, and Regina removed them eagerly. Anxiously grabbing Belle's wrist, she pressed the girl's hand between her own legs, sliding it down into her black lace thong.

"Now, touch me here."

Belle gasped and again obeyed, this time moving her fingers until Regina climaxed.


	4. Chapter 4: A Little Funny

They woke tangled in each other's arms to the sound of Henry nearly yelling, "Mom?!"

Regina tried to leap off the couch, but her legs were entangled with Belle's, and it was difficult to even sit up without practically throwing Belle to the floor.

"HENRY! Jesus! What are you -? I. . . Oh, shit. Henry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to see me. . . see me. . . Oh, God." She quickly struggled to move away from Belle, who was trying equally hard to do the same. Her face had instantly turned red to match Regina's. "Henry, go," she ordered.

"Hi, Henry," Belle said awkwardly, still blushing. "Your mom and I were just-"

"Go!" Regina repeated, pointing to the door living room doorway. "Upstairs."

Regina was completely mortified. She scrambled for her clothes - she was only in her underwear - and avoided looking at Belle.

"I am so fucked right now. I just scarred him for life."

"He'll be fine, Regina," Belle tried to convince her. "All kids experience something like that when they're young. . . right?"

Regina paused, shrugging, and said, "I never did. My parents slept on a different floor of the palace, and I was never allowed in their bedroom."

Belle didn't know what to say. She was from a relatively poor family, and she'd never even seen the Queen's palace. Rumple's castle something to marvel at, but she knew it wasn't the same. All at once, Regina realized what she'd said and opened her mouth to apologize, but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say either.

"They mostly ignored me when I was a kid," she told Belle, trying to change the subject. "I never even really spent time with my mother until I was older."

"Mine died when I was young."

_Fuck, _Regina silently cursed_. _The conversation was awkward again, and Regina was desperate to try to change the subject again.

"He's going to be scarred for life," she repeated.

Belle shook her head and started to laugh. She covered her mouth, embarrassed but unable to subdue the laughter.

"Oh, Christ, that was funny," she confessed, now howling with nervous laughter. "I can't believe that just happened. Your son just saw me mostly naked."

At first, Regina felt rage rise from her stomach, but she stifled it down and let the laughter fill her gut, too. It had been a long time since she'd really laughed like that, and it seemed that Belle was the only one to inspire her to let out. Although it was probably the most awkward and uncomfortable experience she'd ever had, it was a bit humorous.

"Okay," she admitted, "It's a little funny."

They both kept laughing as they wiggled back into their clothes, until Regina's laughter slowly subsided and she went quiet.

"What's the matter?" Belle asked.

"We shouldn't have slept on the couch," she sighed, starting to blush again. "Next time. . . Next time, maybe you could. . . could come to bed with me. . ."

Belle blushed, too, and tried to gaze into Regina's eyes, but she was looking away.

"I'd like that," Belle told her.

Regina seemed a little surprised, but she welcomed the response. She didn't dare ask if she meant it. Instead, she simply let hope fill her heart, and tried to trust that Belle would be truthful, and that if she really wanted to, she would have left by now. She had to believe that. And it wasn't all that hard, considering who she might go back to. Rumple was older, and he was harder inside than she was. (As evil as she was, Regina could admit that. After all, he was the one who taught her everything she knew.) She considered the fact that Belle could have left at any time, but hadn't, and felt blessed to have her company.

"Was last night okay?" Belle asked shyly, her body posture stiffening.

Instantly and without hesitation, Regina nodded.

"Last night was. . . perfect."

They shared a kiss they both treasured - fully dressed, finally - and pulled each other close. Regina wondered what Henry might say, and Belle wondered the same. They were both embarrassed, but glad to have each other. Henry would recover eventually, and at least they didn't have to hide their relationship. Regina's heart sped up with the thought of finally being in a real, committed relationship with someone again. Since Daniel had died. . .

"You're perfect," Regina told her, sighing against the girl's lips.

Belle pulled away and corrected, "I'm no such thing."

But Regina would have none of it. She pressed a finger to Belle's lips to silence her. _She doesn't even know, _she mused sadly, _just how perfect she is._


End file.
